It’s not the Terrible Twos when it comes to a brewery celebrating its second birthday – instead, it’s a wonderful day! Brouwerij West, the destination brewery in San Pedro, Calif., went all out for their second anniversary, with a blowout party on Saturday, March 3, 2018. Held right in their brewery and convivial courtyard area, the bash also kicked off their summer season of concert events. A fire-marshal limited, sellout crowd of 2,500 people braved the cool night to see the influential Los Angeles punk band X, who were supported by San Pedro rockers mike watt + the missingmen, the surf band Bombón as well as the all-female L.A. Witch.

Doors opened at 6 p.m. as guests streamed into the courtyard area. Several food trucks offered a variety of cuisines, pop-up bars served Brouwerij West’s craft beer and an assortment of other vendors lined the perimeter of the courtyard. Picnic tables filled up a large area for guests to sit and relax while enjoying their meals and the music.

The permanent bar area inside the Brouwerij West warehouse space had five of their specialty brews on tap. Poured late into the night were the always popular and enjoyable Popfuji pilsner; the blueberry infused Belgian-style saison called Dog Ate My Homework; a delicious Belgian-style Blond; a full-bodied, slightly sweet 2nd Anniversary IPA; and a refreshing Vampire Blues Stout.

DJ Paul-e-Wog spun tunes early and between each live set. The first performance was by surf band Bombóm. L.A. Witch followed with an energetic set. Later, mike watt + the minutemen played some rowdy punk rock for an ever-growing crowd that congregated toward the stage.

The closing act and main draw, X, hit the stage at about 10 p.m. They wasted little time stirring up the crowd with both John Doe and Exene Cervenka belting out laser-sharp vocals. Doe’s thumping bass line, guitarist Billy Zoom’s screeching fretwork and drummer D.J. Bonebrake’s thunderous rhythms kept the crowd energized and caused an old-school mosh pit to form in the middle of the audience in front of the stage.

X played a wide-ranging selection of their songs, with highlights including “White Girl,” “True Love,” “Hungry Wolf” and the set-closing “Soul Kitchen.” The sellout crowd loved the hour-plus set and cheered wildly as Doe and Cervenka thanked the audience for their support.

The folks at Brouwerij West are dedicated to producing excellent beer and really know how to throw a party. Look for the announcement of their 2018 summer concert schedule coming soon. We expect the first one to be on Father’s Day, June 17, 2018. You can also go to the brewery seven days a week for tastings. They always have great choices on tap and a rotating list of food trucks parked in the courtyard. Keep an eye here for more information about the concert series or check their website.